As I suspected I didn't get time to update on here while the in-laws were around - we were too busy having fun!

So here follows a brief synopsis of events while they were here:

In LA Steve and I passed our last day on our own by visiting the Paramount Studios and doing the tour which was actually pretty good fun. Saw a C list celebrity (Sarah Chalke of Scrubs fame - you may have to google her!) as she was filming a new kids tv programme and a cool old chap called AC Lyles - one of the producers.

Got back just in time to head off to the airport to find Ken and Marie - somehow we managed to collect them in the busiest arrivals hall of all time

. Steve reckons he saw Vanessa Redgrave in the melee. We also picked up a new car - one that would house the whole family plus luggage. Turned out to be a minivan - complete with sliding doors, dvd players and a ridiculous amount of room in the back - apparently there was the option to turn round the first row of back seats and have them facing the back row - with a table in between! That's not a car - that's a space ship. Anyway, I loved it and now want one.

Got back to the hotel pretty late as it took the guys 2 hours to get through customs etc - par for the course unfortunately.

We spent the first couple of days with them in LA doing the bus loops and one tour of the stars homes (which was a bit crap to be fair - i.e. this is Ringo Starr's gate, these are Madonna's trees, etc. Didn't really get to see much which is to be expected. We explored Hollywood Boulevard again and had lunch in a diner.

We then moved onto Marina del Rey so we could explore Santa Monica and the beaches. Was a litle disappointed as the weather was overcast and it just didn't look as it should - we came back here later in the week with Tone though and it was sunny and totally different - much more like it.

After a couple of days there we headed back to Palm Springs which had heated up even more since our last visit and was 116F when we arrived - ridiculous. It was impossible to spend more than 10 seconds outside of air conditioning. I actually think I burnt my eyeballs. When you get a rare breeze it's like someone pointing a hair dryer at you

. I don't think I've ever been that hot. So we didn't do as much as we planned but we did go up the aerial tramway to get a view of the desert and Palm Springs below which was wicked. It was also about 15 degrees cooler up at the top of the mountain which was a welcome relief.

After Palm Springs we travelled back to LA to check into our hotel at Universal Studios and pick up Tone from the airport. We took him to Hollywood Boulevard and showed him the main bits on a whistle stop tour.

Universal studios was great fun - there weren't as many rides as we had hoped so we only spent one day there instead of the two we had planned but the shows and characters were wicked. Plus the weather was perfect which always helps.

Then it was time to hit Vegas - we got ourselves loaded up at the supermarket and hit the road. We stayed at Caesars Palace who were a bit unpleasant to start out with as they didn't give Tone a bed - which we thought was a little harsh. We had a word with a particularly uptight receptionist who actually told us he could sleep in the corridor - at which point Steve asked for the manager. We eventually got him a bed and turned out to be in a really nice room in one of the newer towers

. Steve and I were still in our double in the old tower which wasn't too bad but there was a dirty towel in the bathroom and the lift didn't stop on our floor - we had to go one floor up and walk down - both true but neither would I ever ever complain about normally - who cares! But as we were both so furious with the hotel at that point, I decided to ring front desk to complain (nicely of course) and we were immediately upgraded to the nicer tower - the room was ten times better and we had a great view of the strip. This (and a few beers) went a long way to making us feel better about the place and we decided to start afresh in the morning.

Vegas is truly awesome. Not sure I can find the words to describe it. We hit all the major hotels and watched the fountains at the Bellagio. We did the ride at the top of the Stratosphere and saw two shows - Cirque de Soleil Beatles (amazing) and David Copperfield (sleazy). Didn't gamble too much although did hit the roulette, slots and blackjack. Didn't make any money though... There's only one winner in Vegas and it's the casinos. We took a trip out to the Grand Canyon and did a chopper trip (not Steve though). Tone lost his hat in the canyon so if anyone visits and finds it, let us know...

Steve's friends from Denver - Rob and Steph joined us a couple of days in and we went to a couple of the buffets - I nearly exploded after the one at Planet Hollywood but it was worth it - had two creme brulees for dessert (plus cake)

It was hot hot hot in Vegas and impossible to walk too far down the strip - luckily a lot of the hotels have walk throughs. We ended up getting a cab to the far end of the strip on one of the days cos otherwise we would have melted.

On Saturday we had to say goodbye to the family which was hard - we had been starved of company before they got here and I can't tell you how much fun we had together - we played Uno and laughed loads. Vegas is much more fun when there's a bunch of you. It really makes a difference.

Steve and I moved on to the Trump as Caesars had sold out for the 4th of July weekend. Trump was pretty nice but a bit off the strip but as we just needed to recover from the last few days this suited us fine! We went to see the Bodies exhibition at the Luxor which was cool and watched the fireworks from our room on 44th floor! But Vegas wasn't the same without the guys.